There are two main choices in plumbing installations: copper tube and plastic tube. For the professional plumber, the operations of soldering and welding of copper pipes and fittings are all integral components of his professional training. For the do-it-yourselfer, these skills are typically less developed, if present at all, and hence one of the reasons for the development of plastic-based tubing installations.
However, with the increased use of plastic plumbing components, comes the inherent risk of abrasions and cuts which compromise the integrity of the plastic tube, and which potentially become a point of failure, which is highly undesirable to any homeowner as well as to any manufacturer of the installed product. One solution is to position an outer covering, such as a protective braid, over the plastic tube or profile so that during installation, cuts or abrasions will only impact the braid, and not the underlying tube or profile.
However, while the positioning of a braid is a solution to the premature failure problem, the ability to have the braid securely fastened to the tube remains a problem even with the use of a mechanical fastening system, e.g., hose clamps, which are unsightly and add significant bulk to the attachment point thereby making it impossible to thread such tubing through drilled holes within the studs of walls or appliances. Additionally, depending on the composition of the braid covering, the braid may “wick” liquid underneath traditional overmolds, thereby leading to a slow leak.
There is a need for a better fastening system which captures and secures the outer covering about a plumbing tube or profile in a leak-proof manner.